What Pilot Lite Group does

Pilot Lite Group is a UK-headquartered global CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) entrepreneurship and execution firm that deploys senior operators and on-the-ground capability to deliver commercial outcomes for consumer brands. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in London (with a US entity, Pilot Lite Ventures USA Inc., in Denver, Colorado), the company serves Global Tier 1 brands, Tier 2 mega-brands, and Challenger brands across 30+ markets including the USA, LATAM, China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Africa, operating across B2B, B2C, and D2C channels.

The firm's core service offering is structured around its proprietary EBD (Explore, Build, Deploy) Framework — a three-phase methodology covering Explore (up to 16 weeks) to identify opportunities and validate assumptions, Build (up to 12 weeks) to prototype and prepare for scale, and Deploy (3 to 24 months) to scale proven solutions in-market. Its most notable technology asset is the Pulpex patented single-mould paper bottle, co-developed with Diageo and scaled to high-speed manufacturing lines across multiple geographies; Pulpex has been adopted by PepsiCo, Unilever, Estee Lauder, and SC Johnson. The firm reports an 86% re-hire rate across 220+ brand engagements and claims success probability improvement from 8% to over 50%.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services engagements with multi-year contract cadence, ranging from short Explore phases to multi-year Deploy phases. The customer base includes named Tier 1 clients such as PepsiCo, Hindustan Unilever, Diageo, Estee Lauder, SC Johnson, Pringles (Kellanova), and Peppadew, alongside unnamed challenger brands. The firm has reported no external funding rounds and operates as a private, founder-led company (CEO & Founder Mike Anstey).

Name

Pilot Lite Group

Legal name

Pilotlight Innovation Limited

Website

https://pilotlitegroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pilot Lite Group is a London-based global CPG execution firm that deploys senior operators to deliver commercial growth across 30+ markets for Tier 1 brands, Tier 2 mega-brands, and Challenger brands using its proprietary EBD (Explore, Build, Deploy) Framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Professional Services / Project Engagements: Project-based engagements where Pilot Lite deploys teams to deliver commercial growth, innovation, and impact for CPG companies. Services span from explorations and strategy through to execution and market deployment. Revenue is generated through consulting and execution fees across the EBD framework phases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pilot Lite is a global CPG entrepreneurship firm that deploys senior operators and proprietary methodologies to deliver commercial growth, innovation, and in-market execution for consumer packaged goods companies. Services are structured around the proprietary EBD (Explore, Build, Deploy) Framework, spanning strategy formulation, prototype development, supply chain setup, co-manufacturing, distribution, in-market sales, and financial performance delivery across B2B, B2C, and D2C channels. The company also jointly owns and licenses the patented Pulpex single-mould paper bottle technology developed with Diageo.

Product overview

Pilot Lite is a global CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) entrepreneurship and execution firm, not a traditional software product company. They offer a single unified service methodology called the EBD Framework (Explore, Build, Deploy) for transforming brands across 220+ engagements in 30 markets. Their proprietary Pulpex paper bottle technology represents their primary product innovation—a patented recyclable paper bottle developed with Diageo and now adopted by tier-1 CPG companies. The EBD Framework is applied across various service areas including formulations, prototypes, manufacturing, distribution, in-market sales, fulfillment, and financial performance delivery for B2B, B2C, and D2C models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EBD Framework (Explore, Build, Deploy) Proprietary three-phase methodology underpinning all Pilot Lite engagements: Explore (up to 16 weeks to uncover opportunities, pressure-test assumptions, and set direction), Build (up to 12 weeks to develop prototypes and prepare for scale), and Deploy (3 to 24 months to scale proven concepts in-market). Sold as project-based engagements to global Tier 1, Tier 2, and challenger CPG brands.
• Pulpex Paper Bottle Technology

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% re-hire rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• PepsiCocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020PepsiCo has adopted Pulpex paper bottle technology for their products. The technology was originally developed through the Diageo-Pilot Lite partnership and has been scaled for use by global CPG partners.
• UnilevercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Unilever has adopted Pulpex paper bottle technology. The partnership enables Unilever to offer sustainable packaging solutions using the patented paper bottle technology.
• Estee LaudercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Estee Lauder has adopted Pulpex paper bottle technology for their beauty and personal care products, utilizing the sustainable paper bottle innovation.
• SCJ (SC Johnson)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020SC Johnson has adopted Pulpex paper bottle technology as part of their sustainability initiatives, implementing the patented paper bottle across their product lines.
• DiageoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Pilot Lite and Diageo collaborated to establish Pulpex, developing the world's first truly recyclable paper bottle technology. Pilot Lite built and managed the test line, then scaled high-speed manufacturing lines in multiple geographies. This joint venture has become a significant business tracking unicorn status.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Accenture: Global professional services giant with a dedicated Consumer Goods & Services industry group and growing execution capabilities through Industry X, Accenture Song, and its venture studio acquisitions. Accenture is a logical strategic acquirer of or competitor to Pilot Lite given its push into hands-on CPG transformation and ESG.
• Bain & Company: Top-tier global strategy consultancy with a deep Consumer Products practice and a growing venture and innovation arm (e.g., Bain Vector). Comparable to Pilot Lite in serving the same Tier 1 CPG clients, but with much larger scale, broader capability, and more established brand recognition.
• Kearney: Global management consultancy with a sizeable Consumer Goods & Retail practice covering strategy, operations, and transformation. Kearney overlaps with Pilot Lite in serving CPG multinationals on supply chain, go-to-market, and innovation, but at much larger scale and with a more traditional consulting delivery model.
• McKinsey & Company: Global management consultancy with a large Consumer & Retail practice that helps CPG companies on growth, innovation, and operating model transformation. McKinsey's expanding venture-building and build-operate-transfer offerings (e.g., Leap by McKinsey) increasingly overlap with Pilot Lite's strategy-plus-execution positioning.
• Boston Consulting Group: Global strategy consultancy with one of the largest Consumer Goods industry practices and a venture-building arm (BCG X, BCG Henderson Institute). Like Pilot Lite, it serves multinational CPG clients on growth and innovation, but at significantly greater scale and with deeper research and IP.

Direct peers

• Prophet: Global growth and brand strategy consultancy focused on customer experience, innovation, and digital transformation for consumer-facing companies. Prophet is directly comparable to Pilot Lite in serving CPG brands on growth and innovation, though it leans more into brand and experience strategy than physical product and supply chain execution.
• L.E.K. Consulting: Global strategy consulting firm with a strong Consumer & Retail practice serving major CPG brands on growth strategy, pricing, and innovation. L.E.K. is similar to Pilot Lite in mid-size scale, sector focus, and a hands-on commercial orientation, though it is heavier on strategy and M&A advisory than end-to-end execution.
• Clarkston Consulting: US management and technology consulting firm focused on the consumer products and retail industries. Clarkston is a direct peer of Pilot Lite in terms of CPG specialization and mid-size boutique scale, with comparable offerings in supply chain, commercial transformation, and technology-enabled execution for Tier 1 and Tier 2 CPG clients.
• Advantage Solutions: Large outsourced sales, marketing, and technology services firm dedicated to consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers. Advantage Solutions is comparable to Pilot Lite in its execution-led, in-market service model for CPG, but operates at far greater scale, focused on headquarter-to-shelf sales and merchandising rather than venture building.
• OC&C Strategy Consultants: Mid-sized global strategy consultancy with a long-standing, specialist focus on consumer goods, retail, and leisure. Like Pilot Lite, OC&C is a mid-size firm whose competitive advantage is sector depth rather than scale, advising Tier 1 and Tier 2 CPG brands on commercial growth, category strategy, and due diligence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pilot Lite Group